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State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) said Thursday he’ll run for California Secretary of State in 2014.

Padilla, 40, said he wants to use the role as the state's top elections official to modernize the voting process.

“We have a generation of young people who have their smart phones attached at the hip,” said Padilla. The MIT graduate says California should use that technology to engage them.

“To push information out about elections and candidates, to pre-register or register, to allow people to confirm that their ballot was counted—these are all things that are easily done with the technology that’s available today,” said Padilla.

Padilla's bid for Secretary of State is his first run at statewide office. He served on the Los Angeles City Council for 7 1/2 years before winning his State Senate seat in 2006. San Fernando Valley voters re-elected Padilla in 2010.

So far, Padilla and fellow State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) are the only announced candidates for Secretary of State.

Previously in Represent!

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